Evil Angel
by NightcatMau
Summary: Another from the vaults. One late night Valkyrie plays a certain Breaking Benjamin song for Skulduggery and a strange chain of events ensues. Includes Evil Angel and the sequel Iron Angel.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie or Skulduggery. The song is Evil Angel used in a Valduggery fan video. Val is about 22 or 24. Skulduggery has been downcast for a week and she's trying to cheer him up. Scene takes place in Gordon's mansion. And no, I don't know why a full grown man spends so much time hanging out with her in her bedroom. This was a stand-alone one-shot at one point.

* * *

Skulduggery Pleasant grabbed the sides of his skull and staggered in pain. He hissed, head whipping towards Valkyrie. She seemed amused at his reaction, but thumbed the remote and the stereo turned off. She leaned back in the bed, arms folded behind her head, enjoying his response.

"Blessed silence!" He breathed, still not fully upright. "You do know I have delicate ears and as a detective need to keep them in working order? Why on Earth would you subject me to that noise?" He frowned at her, then went to sit by the wall, head cocked expectantly.

"One it isn't noise, it's music. Two, I thought you'd appreciate the lyrics."

"What lyrics? All I heard was something that sounded like a tank battalion firing on me. I'll be having vivid flashbacks from the war for a week, at least. You do like me right? This isn't a subtle hint the partnership is over?" He was still massaging his skull, and his grumbling made Valkyrie smile.

She loved the sound of his deep velvety voice, even when he was complaining. Lately he'd been grumbling about everything. "I thought some good music might take your mind off your problems." She said, smiling at him.

"I happen to like my problems just fine. And that isn't music, it's something that should be banned under the Geneva Convention." Valkyrie laughed, and he looked up at her, smiling. She wondered idly how she could alway tell when he was smiling. She supposed it was one of his talents.

But somehow she could read all the emotions on his skeletal features, always could. She was pondering this, when he spoke.

"Penny for your thoughts."

"Skulduggery, well this is an odd question, but, how many people can read your face? Is it just me or is it something everyone does? You asked me once how I could tell how you felt and I thought you were joking, but I've always wondered."

She looked over at him, he had tilted his hat down low over his face. He sat silently for a while, then his head cocked. "I didn't know you cared when I asked, but as far as I know, just you. Other people try and come close, but you seem to read me better than anyone else. I don't have a face you know, being a skeleton."

Valkyrie slid off he bed and went over to sit beside him. "Of course you do, everyone does, or I couldn't read it, could I? Lately, well you've looked like you're in pain, and I've been worried about you. We don't have to talk about it though if you don't want to."

He shook his head. "And here I thought nobody could discover my secrets. You Valkyrie Cain, are an incredibly annoying young woman."

Valkyrie smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

He snorted. "It wasn't meant as one."

"I know, but your rarely give compliments, so I'm taking it." She was smiling, her voice playful. But she could feel he did want to talk, so she sobered quickly. "Well? Do you want to talk about it?" She asked, head cocked in an unconscious imitation of him. He nodded, looking at her, seeming to notice the mannerism for the first time.

"When you told me you just could in response I thought you were making excuses. Still I've always been careful around you, as I am around other people. Most of the time I don't show my emotions. I don't see any need to. But yes, I have been sad. And that music only made me sadder." She laughed, and could sense his smile. He continued, seemingly reluctant to speak. "I've well, I've been with you a long time, Valkyrie, since you were twelve. Your an adult woman now, ready to face the world on her own. Simply put, you don't need me anymore, and I'm wondering when you're going to walk out of my life and never come back."

She gasped, stunned. She gripped his shoulder, firmly. His head dipped away from her, so she more or less addressed his hat. "How could you even think of me leaving, Skulduggery Pleasant? You are my best friend, the one man I can count on in this world to listen to and respect me. You're always there for me. I'm sure you have better things to do than be sitting here right now. "

"I've always looked up to you, you've always been my hero." She saw him cringe and her voice softened. "Yes, even after learning about Lord Vile. The past doesn't matter to me, you're my best friend and me-" She paused on the word, felt his smirk. "Mentor." She finished quietly, burying her head in her arms. She heard his soft chuckle, buried her face deeper.

She felt him start to rub her back soothingly. "It's all right, you know. You're supposed to look up to me. I am your mentor. I always will be if you'll have me. But I was hoping you'd think of me as more than that. Just merely a best friend and mentor? Only a hero? I'm shocked, absolutely _shocked_ that I'm not the centre of your universe, Valkyrie Cain." She heard the amusement in his voice. Just great.

"I never said you weren't." She mumbled, still not looking up.

"Oh ho. Now that _is_ interesting. So what am I to you then?" Valkyrie groaned in response and heard him chuckle. He lifted her chin, looking amused. "Tell me if I take you out to dinner, Detective Cain?" He was smiling, really smiling for the first time in weeks. So of course she nodded happily, she too smiling at last.

She didn't even notice as she got ready that Skulduggery had drifted over to the stereo and picked up the CD case. Had she, she would have seen one skeletal brow cock in surprise as he read the lyrics to 'Evil Angel', even though the rest of the world would have seen an impassive skull. She didn't catch the glance he threw at her either, or the gentle smile that settled on his features. It was going to be an interesting dinner indeed.

* * *

 **This started off as a one shot, might keep it that way. I'm guessing since it is such a part of the canon Skulduggery hangs out in Val's bedroom a lot and we don't think a thing of it. Though it did strike me as odd when writing this one.**


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Ghastly or Skulduggery. And if you read the original story you aren't imagining things. I lost the rest of the original story and had to make up something on the fly.

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Skulduggery led Valkyrie out to the Bentley and opened her door for her. The gesture made her blush and he seemed amused as he got in. "Seatbelt." He said, then turned the key and nothing happened. Valkyrie watched him try again, then after he got out and fussed under the bonnet he tried again. "Nothing." He said with a sigh.

"Sorry, Valkyrie." He apologized.

"It's OK Skulduggery, we can take my new car. I traded the Oompa Loompa for something a little more sedate."

"Very well then. Let's see what you think is sedate. It's probably something hideous." He said, and Valkyrie smiled at the warm humour in his voice. She led the way to the garage, then grinned as the door went up and Skulduggery made a gasping noise. "You like?" She asked sweetly, but Skulduggery made no response.

Valkyrie didn't think he could. She knew her partner was car crazy, that a lot of men were, but this was the same puzzling reaction Ghastly had given her on seeing the car. Men just stood and stared at it. True, it was beautiful. Built in 1950, it had a classic style and the distinctive leaping Jaguar on the bonnet gave it a certain presence. Still, it _was_ just a car.

"Valkyrie, that's a Jaguar Mark Five drophead coupé. Do you have any idea what it's worth?" He asked, at last moving to run his gloved hands reverently over the sleek black bonnet.

"No idea." Valkyrie said with a shrug. "The guy who traded it to me-"

"Her, not an it." Skulduggery corrected her. "She didn't mean it, sweetheart." He said, patting the car. Valkyrie just stared at him, then got her keys from her pocket and handed them to him. She had no idea why he liked the car so much, other than it looked like the Bentley. In fact she had thought it was one with the wrong bonnet ornament at first, then remembered that Jaguar had done a nod to the Bentley with the car. No wonder he liked it.

"We should go somewhere we can show her off. How about that new drive-in with the carhops?" Skulduggery suggested as he started the Jaguar and the engine purred in response. "And, seatbelt. I swear, if you ever want to sell her, you have to let me buy her off you."

"Um, OK. And the drive-in sounds great. Are you OK? You're doing that man thing where you go all spacey around cars you like."

"Never been better." Skulduggery said as he drove. And Valkyrie was happy he loved the car. Secretly she'd recognized the car on the spot, having helped her Uncle Gordon look up cars for a novel on the Internet once, but she liked letting Skulduggery ramble on about production numbers and other facts he obviously knew by heart.

It was another one of his endearing features, she though, as he went on and on about independent front suspension. For although he'd been a skeleton for centuries, he was still a man's man through and through and he adored cars with a passion. "So what do you think?" He asked and she realized she'd been wool-gathering again.

"Yes?" She ventured and he tsked her.

"What I said when you weren't listening is that I should have my mechanic look at her as well. My treat."

"Only if you agree to claim she's yours." She said and she could sense his huge grin behind his disguise.

The drive-in was lovely, and had everything true to the movies Valkyrie had seen, including a tray that hooked on to her door once her window was down and carhops on roller skates. Fifties music played on outdoors speakers and the burgers and fries were great. But the fact that Skulduggery was letting her eat in the car worried her. "Are you OK, Skulduggery? I'm eating in the car." She said and she sensed his nervous smile.

"Well, yes, yes you are. But I said I'd take you out to dinner. And it doesn't sound right to make you hang out the window..." He broke off and looked away, fussing with his tie.

"On a date?" She asked.

"Yes." He said, his voice a broken squeak. He cleared the throat he didn't have, clearly mortified. "I mean yes, a date. That is to say-" She put a gentle hand on his arm.

"It's OK, you don't have to explain yourself. Friends can go on dates too, you know."

"Yes, yes, they can, can't they?" He asked, sounding relieved. "Friends do it all the time. And they talk about things too, don't they? Friends, I mean?" He asked, and Valkyrie knew he was trying to say something and doing a rubbish job of it.

"Yes, they do." She agreed, sipping her shake. "Like talking about what has made one of them so sad lately, for instance." She said and he looked at her in surprise.

"Ah, I was hoping you'd forgot about that. It isn't important, Valkyrie, not really. Just something I've been trying to make a decision on and tonight you helped me. You did, honestly and I thank you for that." His cheerfulness seemed forced, but he agreed to drop her at home after and borrow the Jaguar until the Bentley was fixed.

Valkyrie watched Skulduggery drive away, knowing he'd had something bothering him, and that something she'd said or done had helped him decide. But it bothered her because he hadn't been open about it. And she knew Skulduggery well enough to know he'd lied to a point. He'd made his decision, but whatever it was about, she felt, was something he shouldn't be facing alone. She sighed and went in to the mansion, only wanting sleep because sometimes in her dreams she saw the truth her waking self didn't wish to see.

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 **Now what is Skul up to? Any guesses? And Evil Angel is a song by Breaking Benjamin. And if you saw the Jag above by a Bentley of the same era they look close in the grille area.**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, China, Gordon or Skulduggery.

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Valkyrie had planned on sleeping in the next morning, but her mobile kept insistently ringing. Sleepily she checked the caller ID and saw it was Skulduggery. Suddenly wide awake she answered. "Yes, Skulduggery?"

"Good morning to you too, Valkyrie." He replied, his velvety voice sounding amused.

"Sorry, good morning, Skulduggery. Do we have a case or is this just a friendly craic?"

"Neither, actually, can you be ready in fifteen minutes? I'll take you to breakfast then drop this fine beast off at my mechanic and pick up the Bentley. I don't like the idea of you being without a car, to be honest. So, is it a date?"

"Fifteen minutes, and yes, it's a date." She agreed, then they rang off. Normally she would have grumbled, but she was in shock. Skulduggery always fed her, of course, but rarely did they have time for sit down meals. And two of them in a row?

She got ready quickly, wondering why Skulduggery kept using the word 'date'. Her best friend and partner couldn't be interested in her, could he? Valkyrie for her part had decided long ago that the dapper skeleton was a good friend, but trying anything, especially when he had women like China chasing after him would end in disaster.

So she'd hidden any feelings she might have for him away and she wasn't going to drag them out now and make a fool of herself.

She got outside in time to see the Jaguar pull up and gasped. Valkyrie had thought it had looked beautiful before, but now the car's grille glittered in the early morning sun and the black car was glossy and new again somehow.

Skulduggery had put the top down, revealing the pristine beige interior, and she could sense his proud smile behind his disguise. "You like?" He teased as he parked then leapt out and came around to get her door. "Your chariot awaits, M'Lady." He said with a courtly bow and she giggled.

When he got in and they were off, Skulduggery reminding her to buckle up, Valkyrie looked at him. "Skulduggery, you must have been up all night and don't lie. I know what car wax and leather polish smell like. Thank you, it was sweet of you." She said, then blushed slightly.

"You're most welcome." He said with a chuckle. "Valkyrie, to drive a car like this, an obvious tip of the hat to my beloved Bentley by the way, is something most men can only dream of. You say you got it in a trade?"

"My uncle had some rich and eccentric friends. One stopped by one day, saw the Fiesta and declared it fit his cosplay character better. That and he thought black was depressing. It was a legal trade and Echo Gordon reminded me writers are strange and mysterious people. There was something about him though-"

"Er, yes." Skulduggery interrupted. "Strange indeed. But to breakfast. How about somewhere nice where we can have a lovely craic?"

"Of course, Skulduggery. It's just that the man's name, it was odd. I thought he might be a mage from it. It was, let me think..."

"Tans Leap?" He asked.

"Yes, that's it!" Valkyrie said excitedly. "I thought it sounded a bit like an anagram, but I couldn't think of anything at the time." She paused, then looked at him. "Oh."

"Oh, indeed." He said cheerfully. "You can still borrow the other car if you like, but I wanted you to have something dependable and another Bentley wasn't to be had."

"Skulduggery, I couldn't possibly accept this car. Do you know what it's worth?"

"Mm. I saw your eyes pop out of your head when I drove it up. Your uncle is a snitch and we both wanted you to have something that suits you. And black certainly suits you. Besides, we signed papers legally and there's precious little you can do about it." He said smugly.

Valkyrie's mind reeled. First he was being courtly and taking her on dates, and now the bombshell about giving her a car that was worth a good quarter of a million if not more to the right bidder. Then it clicked. The extra calls, the lengthy craics, the surprising her with coffee or bottles of Coke or an impromptu stop at a burger place. Skulduggery Pleasant had been courting her in his own backwards way.

"Skulduggery?" She asked.

"Yes, Valkyrie?"

"If this is our second date do I get a kiss after breakfast?" She asked, leaning into his shoulder and looking up at him.

"Provided we find a secluded area, then, yes." He said, sounding relieved. "You do realize that you'll be kissing teeth, right? I am a skeleton and as I know you've deduced, the façade is gone."

Valkyrie laughed softly. "Yes, I know."

"Well, just so you know." He said with a nod as he drove on, and Valkyrie was content to keep her head on his shoulder for the longest time, and somehow when Paul Anka came on the radio singing about just that, she took it as a sign to cuddle closer and close her eyes in contentment.

* * *

 **Wow, that is either a three-shot or something. But let me know. And yes, Paul Anka sang a song called "Put Your Head on My Shoulder".**


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Erskine or Ghastly.

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Valkyrie sensed how nervous Skulduggery was as he pulled up to the small diner he'd chosen to take her to for breakfast. "Well, here we are." He said, his voice once again coming out a nervous squeak and she smiled fondly at him. Her best friend, partner and mentor was ready to go to pieces over a little kiss, even though she knew it would be a lot more than that. If she kissed him, it wouldn't be like kissing some random cute guy. It had to mean something.

He was staring through the windscreen, not moving. "Skulduggery?" She asked.

"Yes?" He whipped his head towards her. Valkyrie smiled gently at him as she touched his skeletal cheek then pulled him towards her, careful not to dislodge his scarf. She could feel her heart starting to jackhammer as he murmured her name, and she closed the gap, feeling the hardness of his teeth against her lips, even through the disguise, and it was like electricity had been shot through her.

Valkyrie put all the love she had for him into that kiss, doing the best she could through his disguise to show Skulduggery how very much he was loved and needed. He returned the kiss, pressing his teeth to her lips and she heard a contented sigh as she sank into his skeletal embrace.

When they at last parted she felt distinctly dizzy and Skulduggery looked like he felt the same way. "Is the car spinning or is it just me?" He asked and she giggled.

"You too? Well I hope they'll still serve us." She nodded towards the diner where a small audience had gathered to watch the young detective snog the face off a mystery man. Had they known she'd been kissing a skeleton she imagined they'd have had her arrested. The thought made her giggle again and Skulduggery dipped his head in what looked like a blush.

"Well, it doesn't matter, because that was amazing." He said, his velvety voice back to normal as he took her hand in his. "So long as we both understand that you're being courted by a skeleton, I think things could work out for us." He said and she heard the faint humour in his voice.

Skulduggery gestured for her to wait and came around to get her door, then escorted her inside. The crowd had broken up, but several men smiled openly at the couple and Valkyrie smiled back. To be honest, she didn't approve of PDAs all that much, but for Skulduggery she'd make an exception any day of the week.

He was sweetly charming all through breakfast, openly flirting with her as she ate her blueberry pancakes, and had even insisted she indulge in whipped cream for them. Along with the butter and syrup it was like having dessert for breakfast, but Valkyrie didn't mind a bit. Nor did Skulduggery as he refilled her coffee from the urn the waitress had left, or talked about this or that.

"What?" He asked happily, tilting his head when she smiled at him.

"I haven't seen you this happy since the night you rescued me." She said and he made a pleased sound. Valkyrie grinned at him. Skulduggery might be a man through and through but he was also the Skeleton Detective, and he had a host of mostly charming mannerisms he thought suited skeletons.

He was proud of himself for being the only living skeleton they were aware of. True, Necromancers could animate a skeleton, but it only became a mindless thing that attacked on instinct, and as soon as the magic wore off or the skull was destroyed it collapsed into a pile of bones.

She shivered, hoping the same fate never befell Skulduggery and he looked worried, then amused as she told him what was bothering her. "I can loose my head and be just fine, remember? It's willpower and magic holding me together, not just some Necromancer's trick. I'm not about to go to pieces on you anytime soon, Valkyrie Cain." He teased, instantly cheering her up.

He paid for breakfast, but it turned out the mechanic had already delivered the Bentley to his house, so Skulduggery drove there and parked the Jaguar. "He should be here in about twenty minutes or so. In the meantime, I can drive you home, or-" Skulduggery trailed off and Valkyrie knew he was blushing again.

"I can come inside? I trust you not to pounce on me, you know." She said and sensed his smile through his disguise.

He escorted her inside, then shed his disguise. "I'll make you coffee. Pop Tarts?" He offered and Valkyrie went to him. She'd really expected him to be the brave and dashing skeleton detective, but he was being sweetly shy about the whole thing and she decided she liked that too. Valkyrie drew Skulduggery into a kiss, and this time with no disguise in between she could feel the texture of his teeth as they met her lips.

Skulduggery pulled back almost immediately. "This has to repulse you on some level." He protested and Valkyrie grabbed his tie with a growl. "I mean, that is to say..." He trailed off helplessly as she kissed him again, then he was participating, and Valkyrie knew it took every ounce of his considerable courage for him to do so.

Just as he was opening his teeth and things were starting to get interesting his mobile rang. They broke off the kiss and Valkyrie tried not to laugh at Skulduggery's grumbled curse. He answered his mobile, growling his way through the entire conversation, then rang off and looked at her. "Coffee will have to wait Erskine and Ghastly want to see us. Well, Ghastly mostly. Erskine's well-" He paused, obviously embarrassed.

"Passed out in his office? Yeah, he never takes being shot down too well." Valkyrie said with a chuckle.

"I hope you aren't speaking from personal experience." Skulduggery said fussily as he once again donned his disguise and saw her to the Bentley.

"Jealous much?" She teased.

"Always."

* * *

 **That was cute.**


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Erskine, Tipstaff, Ghastly, Serpine, Sanguine, Mevolent or Jack. Uh, violence is implied in this chapter.

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They made it to the Sanctuary just in time to see Erskine wake up, and it was not a pretty sight. The only one seeming to get any happiness out of it was Tipstaff, and as soon as Valkyrie realized he was humming "Malchik Gay" under his breath as he poured the Grand Mage's coffee she had to suck her cheeks in to keep from laughing.

Skulduggery tilted his head at her curiously and when she mouthed the title he snorted laughter. Erskine looked up at them, his head clearly aching. "I'm used to waking up with a beautiful woman close by, OK?" He growled.

"You just give me time to change, sweetie." Tipstaff purred, then waggled his fingers and left the office laughing hysterically.

"You kissed him?" Ghastly asked, startled and Erskine glowered at him. Then, very innocently, "How was it?" Once they'd all had enough fun, Valkyrie managed to collect herself.

"It would be OK even if it wasn't a mistake, Erskine, you know that. Tipstaff just found it hilarious because he is gay. You're lucky he didn't get insulted." Erskine glared at her in reply. "But you two had a case for us?" She asked and he waved them out of his office with an irritable growl.

Ghastly led the way to his office. "Tea, Valkyrie?" He asked and she nodded. She liked the scarred former boxer now though they hadn't gotten off to the best start. She still remembered staring at him when they first met, but although it had to have hurt, he'd forgiven her and let her in close. "Erskine should be ashamed of himself. We Dead Men are no angels, but he could have stayed at home."

"From the way he grabbed Tipstaff, he likely thought he _was_ home." Skulduggery said. He turned to Valkyrie. "And just because you are one of us now does not mean you get to follow in our drunken footsteps. Savvy?"

"Yes, and was that a Jack Sparrow reference?" She asked and he tilted his head, obviously pleased with himself. "Well done, that. Thanks for the tea, Ghastly."

"Not a problem. How is Skulduggery taking knowing you have the better car?" He asked.

"She knows." Skulduggery put in. "And before you find out another way, we're seeing one another as of this morning."

"Oh." Ghastly sounded startled, but he looked pleased and Valkyrie was relieved. All the Dead Men acted like her older brothers and she thought they'd all want to kill Skulduggery when they found out. "Well, to your case then." He handed two folders over and Valkyrie scanned hers, then closed it.

"If this is a joke-" She said, but Ghastly shook his head. Skulduggery for his part, looked ready to implode.

"A spanner and five minutes alone with whoever is behind this-"

"Easy." Ghastly said. "Look, at first I thought it was one of us, sending the gifts to her for whatever reason, but most of us know where she lives." Ghastly went on but Valkyrie was thinking. According to the case file the Sanctuary had started receiving parcels wrapped in plain brown paper, always addressed to her.

Tipstaff, being leery and overprotective for her sake had ordered the first to be opened, and inside had been a beautifully wrapped gift. A diamond bracelet. A real one with five rows of flawless gems and a note that indicated it was thanks for the night before.

Valkyrie's cheeks burned with shame. She'd never even been with anyone, and she was stuck in these thoughts until Ghastly nudged her. "Valkyrie? It's OK, we'll catch whoever is doing this." He said, and she hoped they would. Because each pricey gift had a tag that implied something, and the tags were starting to sound ominous.

"I haven't even-" She began and Skulduggery soothed her.

"Hush, I know. Whoever this is, is a rather disturbed man. We're sure it isn't one of us?" He asked and Ghastly shrugged.

"Well I'm not doing it, and you aren't. It isn't like Tipstaff to play jokes and why send them here where she would never see them?"

"They were meant to be sent on then. Either our man doesn't know Valkyrie isn't receiving the gifts, or he _does_ know and this is some form of revenge for a relationship that never was. Has the handwriting been analyzed?"

"Yes, and we're trying to get a match. Whoever he is, Skulduggery, he's wealthy, and dangerous." Ghastly said, then turned to Val. "We haven't shown you the latest. And we won't. I think that's partially why Erskine got blinding drunk, he opened it. He's moved on from pricey gifts to...other things."

Valkyrie really didn't want to know what sort of other things, but she had a good idea. "Who have we fought that's wealthy enough to do this?" She asked Skulduggery.

"Several men, but most of them are dead now, Valkyrie, It isn't like Serpine is sitting in his castle gift wrapping heads or Mevolent returned from the grave with a shine for you. Sanguine isn't rich enough, that I'm aware of, and Jack's dead, though he'd be the one to send body parts. Oh, sorry."

"No, I figured that out already." Valkyrie said. "Are the parts human? Did our bad guy source them from a supplier? Is he a doctor? Come on, you two, we've had bad guys obsessed with me before, remember?"

The men nodded shakily and Valkyrie sighed. Sure, she'd been terrified at first. Anyone would be because just the notes she's seen implied a long relationship with this man. And now he was angry and hurt and the gifts were escalating into violence. But she was angry too. And if she got angry enough the bad guy had better run.

* * *

 **Wow, did this story just suddenly get violent, or what?**


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, or anyone else you might recognize.

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Valkyrie knew she was having a nightmare, but that didn't make it any less terrifying. She was running down a road that curved through a mist-shrouded forest where all the trees were black dead things that clawed at the dreary sky. There was a man chasing her, and he terrified her, even if she couldn't make out his face.

Faster and faster she ran, her lungs aching, but the man ran faster too. He was closer now and she could see he was wearing a black suit but there was a horrible blank where his face should be. She ran off into the woods, trying to loose him and he followed her, growing taller with every stride.

Closer and closer he came, and now he was as tall as the trees and his long, terrible arms reached for her. Arms that ended in skeletal hands. She screamed and tried to dodge away, then fell to the leaf-littered forest floor. The impossibly tall man bent down and now she could see his face, that terrible grinning skull.

She woke up screaming and he was still leaning over her, so she punched him as hard as she could. The man yelled in surprise and staggered back. Valkyrie heart was pounding, but even in her terror she realized she'd just punched Skulduggery. He was hunched over, holding the side of his skull, obviously in pain.

Then he straightened and began to press his teeth back in place with an audible _snick_. Valkyrie felt sickened now. "Skulduggery, I'm so sorry." She said.

"No, my fault entirely. That's what I get for trying to wake you up from a nightmare. What was it about?" He asked and when she told him he nodded slowly. "Well, of course you had a nightmare about me, Valkyrie. I should have been your first suspect." He groaned and massaged his jaw. "That really hurt by the way, so I think we're even."

"Sorry." She said again, but the truth was the fear wasn't leaving her, not entirely. It could be Skulduggery, couldn't it? He'd had centuries to save up money, he could be rich beyond the wealthiest mortal's dreams. And she knew he was insane. She wondered if there was a way to check the time line of when the packages arrived and their cases.

When she suggested it, thinking out loud, he tilted his head in a smile. "My thoughts exactly. And we will eliminate you from the suspect pool at the same time."

" _Me_?" She asked as she got up and dressed, Skulduggery politely holding his hat in front of his face. "Why me?" She asked, following him to their office where he switched on the coffeemaker.

"Because, my dearest and most loyal combat accessory, guilt can make a person do incredible things. You could have a personality we know nothing about and be, for lack of a better term, stalking yourself."

"Thanks, now I'll _really_ have nightmares." She grumbled, but she knew he was right. They did their best to work out a timeline of when the packages were received, but there were too many unknowns. It wasn't like the regular mail service dropped things off at the Sanctuary, was it? So they assumed the suspect left the packages, hopefully the day after an imagined event or a day or so later at most, but although they may have had cases or spent time together some days, not every date matched.

The detectives sighed and Skulduggery looked at Valkyrie. "Well, then, it isn't one of us, since most of the dates packages were received on you and I were on cases together and on one or two we weren't even in Ireland. And unless you or I snuck away undetected during our cases, I think it rules us out."

"Plus you and I know where I live, and if the idea is to frighten me, it would make more sense to leave the packages there." Valkyrie said and Skulduggery nodded.

"So we can assume he is obsessed with you but either doesn't know where you live, or..." He trailed off and Valkyrie felt the hair rise on the back of her neck.

"Or what?" She asked.

"Or he works at the Sanctuary. You may not even know this man, Valkyrie. This lunatic could have not even made eye contact with you. He's an obsessed fan, or he was until he started sending other presents."

"Do we know yet if they are human remains?" She asked and when he shrugged she decided not to press the point. A small voice in the back of her mind told her that really, Skulduggery could still be a suspect. Packages were so easy to have someone deliver.

"Can we have a sensitive look at the packages?" She asked.

"We have. Absolutely nothing. Not being blocked, but nothing. It's as if the packages are just coming into being inside the Sanctuary itself."

"Why me? What did I ever do to him?" She asked and Skulduggery looked at her.

"Could be a woman for all we know." He said in a thoughtful response. "That would explain the rising anger in the notes. I hate to ask, but is there someone I should know about now, rather than later. Did you go out with someone around the time the first package arrived?"

"No, I was with you on a case, remember?" She asked.

"Yes, and I remember dropping you off at your home every night. I won't judge you, but if we want to start our interviews after me I'd check out anyone you dated or talked to. Even one of the Dead Men, Valkyrie, anyone. Can you remember a call?" He asked and Valkyrie felt herself go pale.

"I do. I didn't think of it until now. He rang me, and swore he thought it was your number. Which creeped me out a little because I never gave him my number." She said and he nodded. "We talked briefly and his voice sounded, strange, like someone or something imitating him, yet it was him. It was his number. Then he rang off and for some reason it just felt creepy."

"Who rang you?"

Valkyrie looked down and bit her lip, not wanting to make trouble, but Skulduggery was staring at her. "Anton." She said softly.

* * *

 **So, do we have a suspect?**


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Anton, Ghastly, Erskine, Dexter or Saracen.

* * *

Skulduggery and Valkyrie were at the Midnight Hotel as soon as possible, showing up at its scheduled arrival point and going in as soon as the hotel formed. Anton was at the front desk and he looked surprised to see them. As the tall man straightened Valkyrie repressed a shiver. Had it been him in her nightmare, even if the man looked like Skulduggery?

"Welcome to the Midnight Hotel, Valkyrie, Skulduggery. Do you need a room or are you here to terrorize my guests?" He asked calmly.

"We need help with an investigation." Valkyrie said and Anton looked at her with the calm expression he often got when he wasn't happy. "Anton, I hate to ask, but do you remember ringing me a few months ago?" She asked and he looked genuinely surprised.

"Not that I recall, Valkyrie. Why don't we discuss this in the common room? You may even bring your pet skeleton along if you like." He said dryly and Valkyrie smiled at him. Anton was a good listener, and he didn't ask any questions until she'd finished explaining the reason why they were there.

"So you think I made one call then lost my mind and started stalking you?" He asked in disbelief. "No offense, Valkyrie, but you're rather young for me, don't you think? If I were you I'd investigate teleporters or Necromancers. It would be easy enough for either one to just drop off packages, wouldn't it?"

"Don't be cross with her, Anton. We already crossed ourselves off the suspect list and she punched me." Skulduggery said with a grumble and Valkyrie knew he was sore over the age remark.

Anton smiled at that, so Valkyrie went on. "Anton, could you tell us who was here on that date?" She asked and his smile faded.

"No, I cannot. The Sanctuary is not welcome here, Valkyrie." He said in his quiet voice. "But I can tell you if someone was _not_ here, that wouldn't violate my principles." He stood and led the way to the front desk. He tilted the guest book towards himself, looked at the date, then closed the book. Anton looked at her expectantly.

"Was Sanguine not here?" She asked and he nodded.

"Neither Sanguine nor Miss Low were here. They are not welcome in the Midnight Hotel."

"Was Wreath not here?" Skulduggery asked.

"Mr. Wreath was not here, and to save us all time nor were any of the Dead Men. Now unless you suspect my gist of making calls and stalking Valkyrie, I bid you both a good day."

They left the Midnight Hotel no further along in the case then when they started. Valkyrie didn't think Anton had lied and she expected it would have been easy enough to imitate his number and voice. There had been something about the imitation that had frightened her, almost as if something inhuman had made the call.

Skulduggery glanced over at her. "He's right, you know. I am too old for you."

"No, he isn't, Skulduggery. So we cross him off our list, Erskine and Ghastly are next."

"Ghastly is hardly rich enough. Neither is Anton really, but men often buy outside their means for a woman they want to impress." He said and she heard the warm smile in his voice.

"That they do." She agreed and leant over to kiss him on the cheek. He chuckled through his disguise and they were content to just be together. At the Sanctuary Ghastly took finding out he was a suspect rather calmly.

Erskine was angrier at being suspected, but both men admitted the Dead Men or at least those she'd been in contact around the time the packages had started arriving were good suspects. But neither man matched their timeline for being near the Sanctuary on each date a package was found, and Ghastly even had proof of being in his shop.

Erksine had proof as well if needed and Valkyrie believed him. "Sorry, guys, but we had to ask. That would leave Dex and Saracen." She said thoughtfully and noticed Ghastly's reaction.

"Not Dex." He said slowly. He exchanged glances with Erskine. "He was in a horrific accident about two months before the packages started to arrive. Doctors did the best they could, but he was horribly burnt. What we didn't tell you is that what is being sent now are pieces of skin, human skin we think, but it's so burnt..."

"So Dex is peeling off his own skin and sending it to Valkyrie?" Erskine asked then shook his head. He looked at Valkyrie thoughtfully. "His vocal cords were so damaged I don't even think he could have made the call you mentioned. And you're a bit young, even for Saracen." Valkyrie felt Skulduggery stiffen beside her.

"Grand Mage, there's been another package." Tipstaff said from the doorway. Valkyrie turned to see the man looked shaken. "Valkyrie, I'd rather you didn't see this one."

But Valkyrie did want to see it. It was a writable DVD disc. And on it was footage of Valkyrie. Always alone, sometimes even in her bedroom as if the camera had been right outside her window. "But I would have noticed someone following me." She said, feeling sickened. Because as they watched the clips kept changing, some were even inside her house, one even of her in the shower, though mercifully the viewer couldn't make out anything.

"You're staying with me, and we're staying in the Sanctuary." Skulduggery said. "None of us is that unbalanced. Tipstaff, who delivered the package?" He asked and Tipstaff shrugged helplessly.

"It was just found, like all the others. There was a card attached, it's being checked for fingerprints and traces of magic as we speak. Hopefully we'll get something." They all went to where the package had been found, but Skulduggery's rainbow-coloured powder turned up nothing. Though they did find a scrap of burnt skin...

* * *

 **And I'll leave it there. Just to be evil.**


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery or anyone else you may recognize.

* * *

Valkyrie got herself settled into bed and looked at Skulduggery as he settled in the Sanctuary room's lone chair. "Sweet dreams, and don't worry, Val, we'll get him." He murmured. Valkyrie nodded and exhausted from the strain of the case she was soon fast asleep. What could have been minutes or hours later she awoke suddenly, feeling as though she was being watched.

She didn't dare to open her eyes more than a crack as she sensed was a hulking figure crouched beside the bed. But then a gloved hand was caressing her hair and face in slow, tender passes, so she giggled and opened her eyes. "Skulduggery-" She started, the word dying almost as soon as she'd said it.

It wasn't Skulduggery crouched by the bed. But a massive man dressed in black with a respirator style mask on, as if he couldn't breathe normal air. The mask wheezed eerily and Valkyrie could make out startled eyes surrounded by burnt flesh. She tried to scream and the man waved his hands frantically.

"Please." He managed, to wheeze, then he was putting a cloth over her mouth and Valkyrie felt herself begin to grow faint, even though she was trying hard not to breath. The man lifted her tenderly out of the bed and when she saw what was behind him her mind reeled in horror. A human skeleton was scattered all over the room, no two bones left together. And with that horrific sight forever burned in her mind, she blacked out.

* * *

Valkyrie came to, vaguely aware she was being carried somewhere. And although she wanted to fight the giant man carrying her, she knew it would be the worst thing to do. He'd bound her hands with cuffs that drained her magic and there was a gag in her mouth. The only sounds she could hear were the eerie wheezing of his respirator and the crunch of dead leaves as he carried her through the moonlit woods.

Then he started humming and the sound was horrible to listen to. Because she recognized that voice. He wasn't trying to imitate Anton now, but it was the same man who had rang her months ago, claiming to be Anton. Valkyrie was going to fake being asleep, but he glanced down and caught her watching him. She thought she heard a pleased chuckle as the weird green eyes behind the black mask met hers.

There was something repulsive about them, like the eyes in a façade mask that sickened her, but Valkyrie knew she had to act like she returned his affections. "Hi." She said shyly. "I missed you." It was a stab in the dark that could have backfired, but it worked. The man clapped his gloved hands like a little kid and bounced on his heels.

He held out an arm to her then, formally, and she took it just as formally. The man's chest puffed out with pride and Valkyrie actually felt sorry for him. She knew he was extremely dangerous, that he'd built up a fantasy relationship for them, but if she could keep him calm he might not hurt her. The man produced a player and showed it to her, then pressed play.

The imitation Anton's voice came out of the tiny speaker. "Hello, Valkyrie. There are so many things I've longed to say to you. You don't know how lonely it has been, being like I am now. Having to hide in darkness. But I remembered you, so I rang you, pretending to be Anton. Simple, really. You'd be amazed what computer speech equipment can do. I was terrified you wouldn't take a call from me, you see. But you did, so I made sure to send you a gift." He hit pause and looked at her expectantly as he lowered her gag.

"It was a lovely gift." She said and he nodded then pressed play again.

"I've been hiding in the Sanctuary for months now. And every time I thought of all the dates we'd go on, well, they made me so happy that I left you another gift. Only, you weren't ringing me like I asked you to." The voice sounded angry and the man shut the player off and put it away.

He picked her up again and started to stride through the woods. "Please, I only found out about the gifts a little while ago, the Sanctuary never gave them to me. Please, don't be angry with me. I would go out with you."

His stride slowed a little bit and she thought she'd reached him, but he'd only slowed because they were coming up on an abandoned factory. He carried her inside without comment, then took her to a room. It was well furnished with everything she'd need. He took out the player and a gun after setting her down and she backed away from him. He hit play and she listened. "You're in your new home. Try to leave and I will make your agony match mine. This room will take care of you like a gaol cell. You will never be outside it again. Now stay still while I undo your cuffs, or I will hurt you."

Valkyrie obeyed as he kept the gun trained on her and the drug he'd given her had left her dizzy and weak. The strange man backed out of the room and Valkyrie heard the door lock. She sat down on the bed, too stunned to cry. She felt hollow inside. With Skulduggery dead, nothing really mattered.

She didn't care if she lived or died and realized the only reason she'd listened to the man was because she'd still thought in the back of her head that somehow Skulduggery would rescue her. _But he can't, can he?_ She thought bleakly. Then shook herself out of her self pity.

She'd never seen a mage like this before. He'd been able to hide in the Sanctuary for months, undetected. He was either wearing a façade under his respirator, or an ugly mask, though the burns had looked real. Still he didn't match anyone she could think of. Did he? She ran back thorough her mind trying to remember a case involving a man his size.

Then it hit her and she was glad she was sitting down as the door opened and the massive man rolled in a cart. "Join me." He said uncovering the domed tray that sat on top and Valkyrie's heart sank at the sight of a distinctive Russian tea service.

Valkyrie did as she was told, staring numbly at the man as he unstrapped the respirator mask, revealing a hinged one underneath. "I was brought back and my employer tried to burn the illness out of me." He said, touching the cold metal mask he wore. "He failed. But never fear, I can breath quite well in this and all other rooms of the complex, Valkyrie."

Valkyrie said nothing as she realized the respirator mask had had the strange image of eyes painted onto it. Because as the man poured her tea the eyes that watched her glowed a bright red.

* * *

 **Guess who it is, go on, guess!**


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery or Tesseract. Warning, violence ahead.

* * *

"I wish I had known you were back." She said, telling the truth. She'd pitied Tesseract when Skulduggery told her about the hulking man's death, and she pitied him even more for being what he was now, but she mainly wished she'd know he was back so she could have been ready for him.

Tesseract made a gesture towards the room. "You'll be comfortable here. I'm aware of how terrified you must be, but you would never have been a willing guest. But you are the most interesting woman I've ever met. There's something about you that intrigues me. "

Valkyrie knew to play for time, so she looked at him and smiled faintly. "Because I survived?"

He nodded. "Yes, I should have killed you both times, you should have died. But you're like me, somehow. Very hard to kill. In time you'll see I'm right, that you belong here." He said and she nodded. A faint hope was growing in her, a faint hope she had to hide.

They talked for a little while and Valkyrie realized that as long as she made no move to escape she should be fairly safe. "Where did you take me? On these dates, I mean?" She asked and sensed his smile behind his mask.

"Many places. You wouldn't think I could go out in public, looking like I do, but people don't notice me now. I don't even show up on security cameras." He shrugged. "I can eat, so I know I'm not a zombie or a vampire. I don't know what I am now to be honest."

Valkyrie was going to respond when there was a wail outside the door. "That would be Cat." Tesseract said, then went and opened the door. A little white cat came in, dancing about on her hind feet, begging Tesseract to pick her up. "You aren't fooling me, little one." The big man said as he tenderly cradled the cat into him. "You are after the cream."

Valkyrie saw a chance to get into his good graces. "She's so cute. Let her have some. She can use my saucer." She offered and the big man smiled at her again. He brought the cat over and she promptly wriggled out of his arms and onto the table where Valkyrie gave her cream and stroked her soft white fur.

Her heart sank because she'd never be able to take the adorable creature hostage. And soon her guests left, Tesseract closing and locking the door behind him. He'd given her a lot to think about, mainly how she'd have to manage to kill him if she wanted to escape and the thought made her shiver. She had killed people, but they'd all been attacking her at the time.

She wouldn't be able to give him a chance to attack, Tesseract would rip her apart like a rag doll if he got within striking distance. Maybe it was better to wait, to give the Sanctuary time to find her. She doubted the hulking man had bothered to cover his tracks. So there had to be footprints and other clues in the woods, if only they knew to look in the woods.

* * *

Valkyrie didn't know how long she'd been Tesseract's prisoner. But he was, to his credit, doing everything possible to make her confinement easier on her. Although she didn't require food or drink in her room, he fed her and often brought in the tea service. He visited with her too, and despite knowing she should remain aloof she felt herself almost bonding with him. "Tess, who hired you?" She asked and the big man shrugged.

"I never saw my employer. I just got notes. I found the first when I woke up for the first time. I was being held in some sort of medical complex. He kept me there for a while and I knew to obey his instructions if I wanted paid."

"You accepted the job?"

"What? Of course not. I pretended to comply, tracked him down and killed everyone in the building." He smiled behind his mask.

"A lot of your stories seem to end that way." Valkyrie said dryly. But then she told him a story too. She'd killed nowhere near the number of people he had, but he even liked hearing about her fights, especially the ones where she'd beaten her enemy to a pulp.

Tesseract looked at her, after her story. "Would you like a walk in the woods today? Providing you don't try to escape." She beamed at him and she didn't try to escape, because she had a plan. Tesseract was madly in love with her, and sooner or later he'd want her to go into the nearest town for supplies with him. _Then_ she'd escape.

Though she'd seen something in those woods, something that made her rather glad she was with Tesseract. She didn't think the giant had seen it. There had been something that looked human watching them. But it couldn't have been human, not with it's face entirely covered in dirty bandages and blood seeping through the bandages where the eyes should have been. How could it have even seen them? Yet it had tracked them, holding a finger of a bandaged hand up to its lips and Valkyrie had had the sense to keep her mouth shut.

That night as she read in her room she sensed that whatever it had been was close. Close enough to get inside. She listened carefully. She didn't hear anything, but somehow she sensed he'd made it into the building. Tesseract would most likely have gotten to it by now, yet, it hadn't seemed afraid of Tesseract, only watchful. The door to her room swung open, but no one entered.

Valkyrie looked at the black opening, realizing the rest of the building was dark. She didn't dare go out there, not until she knew who or what was waiting in the darkness. Tesseract at last came into her room and looked at her. He sank to his knees, then let his hands drop from where they'd clutched his chest and Valkyrie saw the wicked-looking knife sticking out. "He's inside. Run."

* * *

 **Ahhhh, run, Val, run!**


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Tesseract or anyone else you might recognize.

* * *

Valkyrie froze in place for a second, then nodded numbly. "Front door..." Tesseract tried, but he collapsed face forward and said no more. Terrified as she was Valkyrie had to go out into the darkness. She stepped around Tesseract's body and out into the hallway, wishing she'd thought of the knife because her powers seemed muted out here too.

But she just kept to the wall and ever so slowly slid along in the direction of the front door. It felt like she'd been sliding along for hours when her foot bumped something and she almost screamed. Then the something cuddled into her foot as she realized it was Cat. And although she knew it was a mistake she peered down in the gloom, her eyes now adjusted well enough to see the terrified animal.

Cat's eyes were huge and she was curled up in fetal position, clinging to Valkyrie. Valkyrie picked the animal up then tucked her into her tunic securely, tucking her tunic into her trousers. This was the stupidest thing to do, but somehow she couldn't leave the pitiful animal behind. Calmer now with a warm body pressed against her own, she made it to the door, only to find the lock had been damaged, preventing it from opening. Tesseract had been trying to warn her.

She heard a scraping sound in the darkness and froze. Cat squirmed inside her shirt, crawled onto her shoulder, and Valkyrie heard the cat growl ominously. She didn't even realize why until the man from the woods appeared before her. Cat launched herself off Valkyrie's shoulder with a howl and hit the man in the face, screaming as she raked with her claws and bit repeatedly.

The man dropped the knife he'd been carrying and Valkyrie lunged for it, coming up and stabbing him in the side. He roared in pain, flinging the cat off into the darkness, and Valkyrie knew she better run as he pulled the knife out. She fled back the way she came, not hearing him follow. She didn't know where Cat was, and she hoped the poor creature was still alive. As she darted past her room she realized Tesseract was gone.

* * *

Valkyrie didn't know how long she'd been hiding, but she'd made it to the highest level of the abandoned factory, having hoped to escape to the roof and chance a leap, hoping her magic could spare her a painful death. But as she pressed herself against a smokestack she tried to think of who the man was. He'd had a knife, but it had been down when he'd came at her, not in a striking position.

All she knew was that he was tall, with a slim yet powerful build. And he'd managed to kill Tesseract or at least slow him down. But she couldn't imagine who he was. Valkyrie looked towards the edge of the roof, not wanting to go jump. Her magic had returned as soon as she'd made the roof, but she felt too weak to manage her escape.

The door to the roof opened and the man wearing the bandages came out. Who was he? He seemed to be trying to talk as he slowly wandered the roof, but all she could make out was a wheezing sound. He came closer, and Valkyrie was prepared to run when the door to the roof opened again.

She didn't even have to see the skull below the hat to know Skulduggery had managed to come to her rescue. His gun leapt to his hand and he pointed it at the man, who stood, watching him. "I'd drop that if I were you." Skulduggery said calmly.

The man dropped the knife, then tried to talk to Skulduggery. But all that came out were the same strangled sounds as before. Something clicked in Valkyrie's brain then and she called out tentatively. "Dex? Skulduggery?" She called and both men turned towards her.

"Valkyrie?" Skulduggery called back and she ran to him then, sobbing as his arms went around her and he made soothing sounds, then the man in the bandages was hugging her as well and she realized he must be able to see just fine through them.

"Mask." He managed, following he gaze. "Tried to save you, Valkyrie." There were no more words needed. Skulduggery, learning that Tesseract was missing hustled them both off the roof and through the woods to his waiting Bentley.

"I know all sorts of fancy tricks." He told them as he drove. "One being how to get back into my bones, no matter how often they are scattered. Though it was disconcerting to come to and realize I'd went to pieces on my best girl."

"How did you even fall asleep?" Valkyrie asked and he shrugged then looked at her guiltily. "I hadn't been meditating for a long time, it caught up with me, I'm sorry." They lapsed into silence and soon reached the Sanctuary where Dex was seen to and Valkyrie was as well. They ended up in the same healing bath and Valkyrie didn't mind as Skulduggery was there keeping an eye on their friend.

Dex had been horribly burned in his accident and much of the damage might not go away, but the doctors were trying. He'd had to take his bandages off, and even his face was covered in mud. "Sorry for what I must have looked like, the mask was the best I could do. I know it was gruesome, but once I heard you were in danger I had to come." He managed.

"Are you kidding? Hopefully he crawled off somewhere and died. Though you stabbed him through the heart and he got up, so that's never good."

"He has to be dead." Skulduggery offered.

"Haven't you seen any horror movies, Skulduggery? Evil never dies." Dex said and and all three wondered if that was true.

* * *

 **Wheee! That was fun, eh? Hope you enjoyed the ride!**


	11. Iron Angel

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Dex, Tesseract or Cat. This story is set directly after "Evil Angel". Please keep in mind that this is a fictional story and that stalking people is major league uncool.

* * *

After Dex had assured her he hadn't hurt the small feline Valkyrie had insisted that the men who were searching the abandoned factory for Tesseract look for Cat, but she imagined they'd done a rubbish job of it. So, as soon as she was able, she insisted Skulduggery drive her back out. Skulduggery had grumbled, then realized he might have a chance to arrest Tesseract, so he accompanied her, Dex going with them in the Bentley.

Valkyrie entered the building first, calling for Cat. "Here, kitty, kitty." She called, but there was no answer. They searched the entire building and found nothing, no trace of Tesseract or Cat.

"Maybe he got away and took Cat with him." Dex offered and Valkyrie nodded. She'd almost not insisted on the search, hoping that Tesseract would have time to collect his beloved cat and escape. The crazy thing was, she didn't want him to be caught. He'd proven to her that despite being whatever he'd become that in his own way he loved her. True his idea of romantic gifts had terrified the young mage, and abducting her hadn't been healthy either, but Tesseract seemed to have lost all memory of what proper social skills were or never had had them in the first place.

She'd even hoped to get a glimpse of him, or find a message to her. Because whatever she'd had with Skulduggery, it was over. He'd put himself back together, even rescued her, but now he was cool towards her. Not in a cruel way, but he'd told her the others were right. That perhaps in a century or so they could try again. She'd thought he was joking at first, but he hadn't been.

And now as she wandered the hallways of her lonely mansion, she almost wished she could see Tess and Cat one more time. She was frightened for Tess, hoping he hadn't died alone in the woods and suddenly she knew what she had to do. Abductor or not, she had to make sure he was OK. Skulduggery had reluctantly agreed to trade back cars so late that night she drove her small car back to the abandoned factory alone, hoping Tess had been really good at hiding before.

She hadn't gotten far into the building when a blur of white bounded out of the darkness towards her, launching itself to land in her arms. "Cat!" Valkyrie said happily, snuggling the purring cat into her. "Where's Tess, girl? Is he all right?"

"He's fine." A voice spoke behind her and Valkyrie turned to see Tess. "It would seem I'm harder to kill now. I'm glad you're all right." He said and Valkyrie carefully put Cat down then ran to her former captor, hugging him and surprising them both.

"I'm glad you're all right." She confessed, hugging the big man tightly and feeling him return her embrace tentatively. "I guess I better go, in case they followed me." She said, though she really didn't want to.

"Nonsense, stay. I have made alterations to the magic already. You're only here because you are welcome. Come, have tea with me." Tess offered, then switched on a torch and led Valkyrie down the maze of halls and rooms to what must have been a breakroom for the workers, complete with a tiny kitchenette.

Tess had several candles lit and he got Valkyrie's chair for her, then saw to tea for both of them. Cat joined them, hopping up on the table and happily purring as Valkyrie poured some cream into a saucer for her.

"It was sweet of you to come back and try and save her." Tesseract said, watching them from behind his hinged mask. Valkyrie blushed.

"I tried to get her out, but she was brave enough to attack Dex. Who isn't too happy I stabbed him, but I thought he was a killer at the time, so I didn't exactly stop and chat. She risked her life to save me. She's a brave little girl, aren't you, Cat?" She asked, then fished in her pocket and produced a catnip mouse for Cat.

Cat purred and took the toy gently in her jaws, then took it to Tesseract. Valkyrie smiled to watch the masked man play with the little white cat. He was unfailingly gentle with her. He spoke to the cat in Russian, petting her and fussing in a gentle voice. The glow of his eyes softened and Valkyrie knew he was happy. "Thank you." He said, glancing over at her.

"It was the least I could do for her. Well, that and a ton of other things I could think of, but I thought you might be leaving, considering."

"No. My home was broken into and I was assaulted. Your door was unlocked at that point. You were here willingly, unless you were reeling me in."

"Maybe at first." Valkyrie admitted. "But- I saw him in the woods, Tess, it's my fault for not saying something."

"I saw him as well, Valkyrie. I imagined he'd come in. I'd like to know how he caught me off guard, but it's happened before." She sensed his smile behind his mask. "Try the jelly in your tea." He offered and Valkyrie was surprised to find it was quite good.

They talked for hours, Valkyrie not wanting to leave, and Tesseract not wanting her to go. But they both knew she had to at some point. They couldn't build a healthy relationship on something that started out as him stalking her. Still, Valkyrie was sad as he escorted her to her car. Because Tess had been right, she never would have given him a chance. She thought a minute, then looked at him.

"Let's start over. Here and now. You never abducted me, how's that sound?" She offered and Tesseract smiled down at her.

"It sounds like you want me to call on you."

"I do, provided you're done following me with a camcorder. That part was a bit much."

"My apologies, not one of my better moments. But I thought it would be a couple's sort of thing. I have trouble sometimes, sorting out what I imagined happened and what did. Sorry."

"It's all right." Valkyrie said, hugging the giant and getting into her car. And as she drove away she saw him watching her, the eyes behind the mask glowing a steady red.

* * *

 **Again, this is fiction. In real life being abducted is not cool and I don't think Tess had her long enough for Stockholm Syndrome to set in for her, but perhaps a touch of Lima Syndrome set in for him. Ah, the human mind and all our adaptive survival traits.**


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie or Tesseract.

* * *

Valkyrie was in the mansion several nights later, scaring herself good with a collection of creepypasta videos when her mobile rang and she jumped. She looked at the caller ID and saw the strange number had the name Cat above it. She grinned, realizing it was Tesseract. "Hello, Cat." She answered cheerfully and heard an answering meow.

"You are on speaker, Valkyrie, Cat misses you as much as I do. What are you doing?"

"Scaring myself with spooky stories." She said and there was a surprised silence, then an inquisitive mew from Cat. "Hello, Cat. How's my pretty girl?" She said, then laughed as a rumbling purr came through her earpiece and she could hear what sounded like Cat nibbling on Tesseract's mobile.

"You like being scared? Well, if you are enjoying yourself-" Tess trailed off and Valkyrie realized it was an invitation.

"I can do this anytime, Tess. I'd rather do something more exciting, like pick up a pizza on my way to see you." She offered. Tesseract agreed, and soon enough Valkyrie was driving into the spooky woods. _Well, they wouldn't be spooky if you didn't scare yourself to death with creppypastas._ She scolded herself.

Tess was there to meet her where she usually parked, and insisted on carrying in the pizza while Valkyrie got the Cokes. She had no idea how the poor man even fed himself, though if he could afford an abandoned factory to live in she decided he was doing OK. "We have both missed you, Valkyrie." Tesseract said as they sat down in the breakroom together, Cat joining them on the table as she always did.

Valkyrie gave her a nibble of the cheese from the pizza then smiled at Tess. "I missed you too. You'll be happy to know there are no charges. Considering how strange mages are to begin with, they didn't have much of a case. I ran off with you willingly and Skulduggery refuses to admit you snuck up on him."

Tesseract nodded and looked at her carefully. "This isn't delayed shock, is it? I will admit to having little emotion towards most people. Either than you or Cat. And I know I'm frightening, though that usually helps me in my work."

"No, I don't think so. I've been captured so often I expect it. I didn't feel victimized, it's just one of those things that goes with my work, I guess." Tesseract nodded in response, seemingly satisfied. He was also interested to hear some of the stories Valkyrie had been listening to, and cocked his head attentively as she played a couple of the lighter ones.

But as the night wore on she played one or two of the more disturbing ones and he glanced over at her. "Why are stories clearly meant for adults so often aimed at children?" He asked and she sensed his frown.

"I guess because most of us remember being that vulnerable, or we realize we still are. Did you notice how many are set in the woods? Woods just like the ones we are in right now?" She asked and Tesseract laughed.

"I noticed. You are not trying to scare me into needing you to stay, are you?" He asked, flirting with her. They were on a sofa in what was Tess's living room and so Valkyrie giggled and snuggled into the giant man in response.

"Maybe." She admitted. "Would I be welcome to stay in my old room?" She asked, glancing up at his masked face. Tesseract nodded, watching her carefully, then dipped his head to meet her, brushing the lips of his mask against hers.

They were icy cold, but Tesseract's kiss was something Valkyrie had been hoping for all night, so she gently returned the kiss, well aware he'd mentioned being in pain. When the parted Tesseract looked at her for the longest time. "I'd better see you to your room, it must be four in the morning." He said, stroking her face tenderly with one hand.

Valkyrie nodded and was asleep almost the instant she got into bed. In the morning Tess awoke her, having made breakfast for them both. They ate in Valkyrie's room like they used to, though now when breakfast was over she could follow him back to the breakroom and pull the startled man down into a lingering kiss.

Tesseract pulled away slightly to look down at her. "You're sure you're not in shock?" He asked and Valkyrie heard the hesitation in his voice. She nodded, stroking his cold metal mask softly. Valkyrie wished she knew what he looked like underneath, though he assured her it was a worse horror than before.

"I'm sure. Why don't we have a picnic outside later since it seems to be the last warm day we'll have for a while? I can go get some chicken from a take away place, it will be fun."

"We can both go, let me provide for you, Valkyrie. I want to. Then, if you don't misunderstand me, we can get some groceries as well. I'd like you to stay." Valkyrie agreed and several hours later she and the hulking man were having a picnic in the woods, like any other couple would.

Valkyrie leaned back into Tesseract's embrace, enjoying how safe the huge man made her feel. Tesseract stroked her hair softly and she felt herself begin to get drowsy. He murmured for her to sleep and when she did she woke up to find herself on Tesseract's couch with the electric fireplace going.

Tess had covered her with a blanket and was slumbering on the other couch himself, Cat curled securely on his chest, purring to herself in her dreams. She got up and went to the kitchenette, making tea for them, then carried it back in time to see Tesseract wake up. He blinked sleepily at her. "Thank you, Valkyrie. You should have awakened me, I would have make it."

"Not a problem, you and Cat looked adorable together. Does she do that all the time?"

"Yes, it's comforting to me. I'm not used to people wanting to be that close to me, nor do I want most people that close. You are an exception, of course." He said, smiling.

* * *

 **For a heartless assassin,Tesseract can be a bundle of cute when he wants to be, can't he?**


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Tesseract, Nye or Skulduggery.

* * *

Valkyrie watched nervously as Nye removed the bandages covering Tesseract's head. When they had gone to the Sanctuary to pick up the gifts Tesseract had sent Valkyrie the strange scientist had offered to preform a surgery to fix Tesseract's face once and for all. Valkyrie had wanted nothing to do with him, but Tesseract had accepted the offer.

And now as Nye slowly unrolled the bandages, she wondered what he would look like. She'd imagined something a little like Russia from _Hetalia_ , but told herself that wasn't possible. What hair he'd had before had looked burnt, like his scalp had been doused with lighter fluid and set aflame, so she imagined it would be black.

But as the bandages came off and Nye stepped back to allow her to examine his work, she gasped. The man that looked at her looked amazing. He had penetrating blue eyes in a face that featured deep cheekbones and a square jawline. His lips were just full enough and when he smiled at her it was charmingly crooked. His short blond hair stuck out at angles from the bandages being removed and Valkyrie approved of the current length and hoped he'd leave it. "You look amazing." She managed and his grin increased.

A mirror was given to him so Tesseract could admire himself. He looked pleased, and Valkyrie couldn't get over the change in his appearance either. Nye, now bored after he'd seen he'd been successful, left them alone. Tess put down the mirror and looked at her. "The pain is gone. So, perhaps?" He grinned sexily at her.

Valkyrie was only too happy to kiss him, finding his lips to be incredibly soft. Tesseract was hesitant at first, but it was wonderful nonetheless. And Tesseract's touch was gentle when he brought up a hand to capture her hair. Valkyrie returned the gesture, then pulled back to look at Tesseract. He smiled faintly. "You are pleased then?" He asked and she nodded.

She spent most of the day with him, only reluctantly going to a room at the Sanctuary to sleep that night when he insisted. As she lay there her mind whirled. Tesseract was still an assassin. He hadn't become a cute and cuddly version of himself after loosing his disease and the mask. So she knew they'd have to face a choice. Either she would start traveling with him, or trust him to travel alone.

* * *

When they'd arrived home Tesseract seemed like a new man. He seemed a lot happier and she knew it had to be a relief not to worry about his life depending on the function of a mask. Yet, the brooding and thoughtful man was still there as well, and Valkyrie really didn't know what to make of him as he made them tea. Tesseract turned and looked at her thoughtfully. "Are you all right, Valkyrie?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. Looks like Cat missed us." She said as the furry creature pranced into the room. Cat stopped dead, looked at Tesseract, and arched her back with a frightening battle cry. "Tess, talk to her, animals go by smell, but try talking." Valkyrie said quietly.

Tess said something in Russian and Cat look confused. She came forward to sniff him and growled again, the hissed and ran to Valkyrie for protection. Valkyrie held the trembling ball of fur and looked at Tesseract. He'd actually started to laugh. "All the time I wore a mask you never feared me. You never feared my ugly face even. Now you fear me? Come here, Cat." His voice was gentle and it seemed to break through to Cat. She wandered over, then seeming to realize it really was Tess, began a yammering feline apology.

Tesseract picked her up, bundling her into him gently. "It is all right, little one. Little Cat, it is still me." He said and Cat rewarded him with a purr. Valkyrie's eyes misted up to see him give Cat such love and she found herself rising from her chair, to go embrace the pair. Tess put a comforting arm around her and Cat yammered sweetly to her two favourite people on the planet.

Valkyrie kissed them both, then saw to the tea as Tesseract held Cat on her back and rocked her like a baby, singing something to her in Russian. He grinned at Valkyrie as she set down their tea, making sure to put out a saucer of cream for Cat. "Thank you, Valkyrie. You are very kind to both of us."

"Tess, I don't mind, I love you, you know that." Tess looked like he'd had no idea she loved him at all. "What did you think made me come back for you and Cat?" She asked and he stared at her helplessly.

"I'm- I- You love me?" He asked, sounding shocked and Valkyrie was afraid she'd said the wrong thing. That he was one of those men that ran and kept running as soon as a woman mentioned love. "You love me?" He repeated.

Cat mewed inquisitively, seeming to want to know if she was loved too. "Yes, I love you. I love both of you." Valkyrie said. She swore Cat knew what the word meant, and that it was the rarest of all gifts for her or her stunned master. Cat yammered excitedly at Tesseract and Valkyrie swore the giant of a man understood her.

He came out of whatever trance he's been in and looked at Valkyrie. "I never thought I would hear you say that, Valkyrie. I thought perhaps you were just curious, or still in shock. You don't know how much this means to me. I love you, Valkyrie. You and Cat, I love." And Valkyrie understood the rare gift she'd been given, because Tesseract was the type of man who could have chosen to ignore his feelings like Skulduggery had, but he was letting her in, trusting her as he trusted Cat.

He looked at her, and rewarded Valkyrie with a shy, unsure smile. Valkyrie went to him and sat in his lap, which made him blush, and kissed him, which he seemed to like just fine. Tesseract returned the kiss, murmuring loving words to her repeatedly, as if he were afraid it were all a dream and she'd be gone when he stopped. "Shh, it's OK, Tess. I love you, I'm here as long as you want me to be here." She murmured and he looked at her contentedly.

Valkyrie knew that sometime they'd have to face his work, but for now they had this day together with a happily purring Cat close by and she didn't ever want it to end.

* * *

 **Aww. Now that was fluffy.**


End file.
